Obama adviser warns compromise on budget

(WASHINGTONPOST) — WASHINGTON — The White House on Sunday warned Republicans that a “my way or the highway” approach would spell the GOP’s defeat in upcoming budget negotiations and told its Democratic allies that they, too, will have to bend on President Barack Obama’s delayed spending plan set to be released this week.

White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer said the White House was willing to work with rank-and-file Republicans to come up with an outline that both jump-starts the economy and reduces the nation’s red ink. Yet Pfeiffer also told the GOP that stubbornness among their party’s leadership would only yield public embarrassment akin to the one the GOP faced last year when voters rejected Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s economic proposals and gave Obama a second term.

“Right now, the approach of many Republicans — particularly the leadership in the House — is my way or the highway. Their view is the only acceptable plan is to try to cut away prosperity, turn Medicare into a voucher program and essentially enact the Romney economic plan,” Pfeiffer said. “The American people rejected that and Republicans shouldn’t be doubling down on it.”